


Perfect Partners

by storyspinner70



Series: Perfect Partners 'Verse [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M, Were-Creatures, bottom!Jared, omega!Jared, spn reversebang 2016, top!Jensen, tx_devilorangel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 20:14:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9623774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyspinner70/pseuds/storyspinner70
Summary: Both Jensen and Jared are looking for something in all the wrong places. When a simple misunderstanding brings them together, will they stick?





	

**Art Title:** THE BIRTHDAY GIFT  
**Prompt Number:** R1019  
**Artist:[tx_devilorangel](http://tx-devilorangel.livejournal.com/) **  
  
**Fic Title:** PERFECT PARTNERS  
**Author:**[storyspinner70](http://storyspinner70.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom/Genre:** RPS, Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Jensen/Jared  
**Rating:** Explicit  
**Word Count:** 10,445  
**Warnings:** warnings only for language, a/b/o dynamics (sort of, for Jared anyway) and m/m sex  
**Summary:** Both Jensen and Jared are looking for something in all the wrong places. When a simple misunderstanding brings them together, will they stick?  
  
**Art Link(s):** [LJ](http://tx-devilorangel.livejournal.com/d6.html) | [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9611885)  
**Fic Link(s):** [LJ](http://storyspinner70.livejournal.com/13643.html) | [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9623774)  
  
A/N: So, I adored this prompt. So much so, that I actually have more to write for it. I just didn't want things to get too long for y'all, so I cut it off. I'm not sure this will be a 'verse, necessarily, but unless y'all are just like, ugh, no, why would you write any more of this nonsense, I'll be posting, at the very least, a follow up. Jensen still has to meet Jared's family, after all. Trust me; it doesn't go nearly as well as what poor Jared was subjected to with Jensen's mom. Let me know if you want to hear about it. :D 

 

**Perfect Partners**

   

  
  
"Ourtime.com, Jensen, really?”  
  
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to knock before you entered a room? Oh, and not to spy on people’s personal business?”  
  
“No. Did yours teach you basic math? 34 is less than 50, Jensen. Ourtime is a dating site for people 50 and over. It clearly says so right here in giant letters.”  
  
“Age is just a number.”  
  
“Yeah, and ridiculousness is just a personality defect.”  
  
“That makes no sense at all.”  
  
“Your face doesn’t make sense.”  
  
“Did you need something? No? Just came to torture me with your presence? Out of my office, asshole.”  
  
“Fine, don’t come crying to me when your daddy complex backfires.”  
  
“I swear to god, Richard...”  
  
“I’m going. Sheesh. You really do need to get laid.”  
  
“I’m trying!” 

  
Tinder. _No_.  
Match.com. _God No_.  
Grindr. _Never the Fuck Again_.  
eHarmony. _eMy Ass_.  
OkCupid. _NOT okay, Cupid_.  
Beautiful People. _HAH!_  
Chemistry. _NO Chemistry.com, more like it._  
Plenty of Fish. _Plenty of bullsh-_

“Jensen!”

“What!”

“What is wrong with you? You’re scaring the kids!”

“Oh, was that out loud?” Jensen turned to the kids staring warily at him across the table, and gave them a huge grin. “Sorry kids. Uncle Jensen is grumpy. Do you know what grumpy means?”

The oldest rolled her eyes. “Duh, Uncle Jensen. We’re not babies.”

“Oh. Excuse me. I keep forgetting you’re so grown.”

The youngest was staring at Jensen in the creepy old soul way he had. Three years old and sometimes it was like he could read your mind – or tell the future. “You’ll find him, Unca Jensen.” _See? Creepy!_

“Go play. I can tell you aren’t going to eat another bite until you do. Go. And stay out of the ball pit. You never know what’s in there!” Chris paused as the kids ran off. “Look, son...”

“Don’t start on me, Chris.”

“I’m just saying that maybe you need to calm down a little bit, that’s all. Why the sudden rush to find Mr. or Mrs. Right anyway?”

“My biological clock is ticking.”

Chris sighed and slammed his head down against the table. “I swear to god, son, if you weren’t my best friend...”

“...since we were in diapers, you’d blah blah blah blah.” Jensen finished for him. “Can’t you do something about him, Steve?”

“Stop whining. Both of you. I’m going to hang with the kids. They’re smarter. And more fun.” Steve laughed and walked off.

“Dude. Your husband is...” Jensen just flailed his hands, looking for a strong enough term that wouldn’t get him killed.

“I know. Hot, right?”

“Kind of? If you’re into that.”

“Oh, I’m into that. And that’s into me. Every. Chance. We. Get.”

“Ugh, shut up, asshole. Way to twist the knife, man. In two weeks I’m turning 34 and I’m still single. You’ve been with...” Jensen paused dramatically. “... _the one_...since you were 20.”

“It’s different for weres, _asshole_. We can smell the right one. Feel the right one. Almost from the second we meet. No having to deal with all the bullshit you poor people do. We don’t have to sort though a million of the wrong ones to get to the right one. We usually just know.”

“I hate you. You and your perfect partner and your perfect children.”

Chris laughed. “No you don’t.”

“Do, too.”

“You really are whiny today, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. It’s a bad day. I’m almost out of dating sites and apps.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this...”

“Then don’t say it.”

“...but it’ll happen when it’s meant to.”

Jensen just sighed and dropped his head to the table, too. 

 Days later, Jensen was idly searching the net for any dating site he hadn’t tried when one in particular caught his eye. “ _Perfect Partners_. Hmm. _Find the mate that fits your life_. Couldn’t hurt to try, right? God knows I’ve tried just about every other one.”  
  
Perfect Partners was a little different, apparently. You filled out an initial request online and everything else was done in person. It was kind of old fashioned that way, and Jensen thought maybe this would be the one that would work for him. Hopeful for the first time in months, Jensen went about his day, his unusual cheeriness startling more than one person.  
  
*  
  
The day of his appointment at Perfect Partners was a nightmare. Jensen woke up late, so he showered and dressed quickly before calculating he had just enough time for a quick stop to get a breakfast sandwich – until his car wouldn’t start. Fuming, he called for an Uber and waited impatiently in his driveway. The car arrived not long after a light but persistent rain.  
  
Jensen arrived at Perfect Partners wet, starving and furious – but with two minutes to spare. Any hope he had for the meeting was sorely tested by the morning he’d had and Jensen felt unprepared and out of sorts. He took a moment to try to calm down but ended up gritting his teeth and stepping up to the desk anyway.  
  
“Jensen Ackles. I have a 9 am with Mr. Collins.”  
  
“Of course...” The woman’s voice faltered for a second when she caught sight of Jensen’s grim face. “Right...Right this way, alpha.”  
  
Jensen frowned even more at the way the woman’s nose seemed to twitch as if she was trying to get a discreet sniff of his cologne and whatever it was she had called him before she moved away. Whatever it had been, it didn’t sound like his name, and Jensen was just about as done with this day as he could be with one that had just started.  
  
“Right this way,” she said again, guiding him through a door into a large conference room. “Have a seat anywhere. Misha will be with you momentarily.”  
  
Jensen took the moments alone to try to calm himself, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. When that helped some, he arched his back and pulled each elbow toward his opposite shoulder, easing the tension in his muscles even more. Finally feeling a bit looser, Jensen eased into a chair to wait, unaware of the group silently observing him.  
  
*  
  
Jared was fidgeting nervously. He had signed up with Perfect Partners when he hit his 30th birthday and was still unmated. His parents had assured him his mate was out there waiting for him, but Jared wasn’t so sure. Most mates met in their 20s or earlier, especially if they’d grown up together. It wasn’t unheard of for a were not to find their mate until they were in their 30s, but most of the time it was assumed something tragic had happened to keep the true lovers apart if it hadn’t happened by then.  
  
People threw hope and platitudes at Jared every chance they got, but he could see the worry and, worse, pity in their eyes when they looked at him. Things happen in life; mates die or give up searching for their true mate too soon. Weres could partner with someone who wasn’t their true mate and be quite happy, there just wasn’t the soul linking bond that formed when two true mates met and came together.  
  
At this point, Jared was just searching for someone to love and care for him that he could love and care for, too. Maybe even someone who would give him a litter or two. He’d met a couple of really nice betas since he’d signed up and, even though they’d all stayed with Perfect Partners, they’d kept in touch, too. Just in case.  
  
Jared looked around the room, surreptitiously checking out the others there to see the newest person to sign up for Perfect Partner’s services. Normally there were two or three people at a time, but the new candidate had clicked the dominant check box when he filled out his online application and that was kind of rare.  
  
Stephen Amell was one of the betas Jared had on his _Last Chance_ list. He was nice and had told Jared he was beautiful. He didn’t seem to mind that Jared was four inches taller than him, either. They saw each other regularly and Jared considered him a good friend. Stephen caught his eye and winked. Jared grinned back.  
  
Danneel Harris was a beautiful beta, and three years older than Jared. She’d made her place in Hollywood, and everyone assumed that was why she’d yet to mate. She and Jared had dated, but had decided to stick to being good friends instead of lovers.  
  
Tahmoh Penikett was also a beta but he had almost alpha-like tendencies. It was pretty obvious he hadn’t been very pleased with Jared’s height on their one and only date, and Jared had spent the time trying to seem smaller and picking his words carefully. Conversation was stilted and, though the two parted with a handshake, they’d had no more contact after that.  
  
Genevieve Cortese was the only other omega in the room. She was tiny and beautiful. Delicate and shy. Sweet and willowy. Everything an omega was supposed to be. Everything Jared wasn’t. Any hope he’d thought about having dwindled. No alpha was going to choose a too tall omega when someone as beautiful as Genevieve were around. She caught his eye and gave him a happy wave and scrunched her face up in excitement. Jared couldn’t help but smile back at her, even as he tried not to resent her for how perfect she’d been born.  
  
His cataloging of the other people in the room stopped when he saw the door to the meeting room beyond the viewing window open. The alpha was gorgeous. There had to be some kind of mistake. There was no way an alpha who looked like that was still single.  
  
He looked nearly as tall as Jared, and strong. Broad shoulders and muscular arms crossed over a broad chest. And his face. Jared held his breath when he caught sight of piercing green eyes and a full lush mouth.  
  
The alpha looked irritated, though, his jaw and fists clenching and unclenching. ‘Oh, no’, Jared thought to himself. ‘Maybe he’s not very nice.’ That could explain why he was unmated. As he watched, the alpha rolled his shoulders and did his best to calm down before having a seat right in the middle of the row of seats.  
  
Jared could smell the sharpened interest on some of the other weres in the room. This alpha was obviously strong, and not just in body. He did not choose a seat out of the way or off to the side, instead had seated himself squarely in front of the door with his back to the bank of windows. After his initial fidgeting, he sat perfectly still, hands composed on the table in front of him – only the occasional ticking of his jaw giving away any emotion.  
  
Jared closed his eyes, reaching for a moment to see if he could sense the alpha. Surely one that strong would affect the very air around him. Jared frowned a bit when he came up empty. It was not unusual for the stronger alphas to block their scents and pheromones, but there was generally something of a disturbance in the air as they passed through it. Jared frowned a bit when there were no traces of the alpha anywhere in the atmosphere, and he opened his eyes when he heard the door of the room open again.  
  
“Ah, alpha, I’m Mr. Collins, so sorry for making you wa...”  
  
*  
  
Jensen looked up as someone entered the office, introducing himself as Mr. Collins. Whatever else he was about to say was cut off abruptly as he more fully entered the room and approached Jensen. Jensen stood, reaching a hand over the table to shake. Mr. Collins blinked for a moment, then smiled and shook Jensen’s hand.  
  
“You’re...” The man paused as if searching for just the right words. “You’re not a were, Mr. Ackles. That’s going to change things just a bit, today.”  
  
Jensen blinked. “I’m sorry?”  
  
“Perfect Partners is primarily for alpha, beta and omega weres who have not yet found their mate, Mr. Ackles. So, we’ll just need to adjust how we normally….”  
  
“Weres? Did I miss that somehow on the website? I’m very sorry, Mr. Collins, for bothering you. I didn’t realize...”  
  
“No, no, no, Mr. Ackles. It’s quite alright. Our logo is the combination of the alpha, beta and omega symbols and we do ask if you’re a dominant on the form, but if you haven’t had much interaction with weres, I could see how that might not ring a bell with you.”  
  
“I have nothing against weres, Mr. Collins.” Jensen replied, feeling the tiniest bit censured by the man’s response.  
  
“What? Of course not, Mr. Ackles. I just meant...”  
  
“My two best friends since childhood are a were couple, as a matter of fact, they’ve just...never discussed anything with me, I guess.”  
  
“I can understand how that might happen.”  
  
“And as for the dominant, I just thought it was...” Jensen paused. “...my preference.”  
  
Mr. Collins surreptitiously eyed the man in front of him. “I have no doubt, Mr. Ackles.”  
  
Jensen raised an eyebrow, and Mr. Collins laughed. “It’s pretty obvious you’d be an alpha if you were a were, Mr. Ackles.”  
  
“Is that a good thing?”  
  
“It’s just a thing. One isn’t better or worse than the other, just different.”  
  
“I am sorry for the misunderstanding, Mr. Collins. I’m sorry I wasted your time.”  
  
“Oh, no no, Mr. Ackles. First of all, call me Misha. Secondly, you haven’t wasted my time. We’re here to help people find their partner for the rest of their life. Do you have any issue if some of the matches we find you are were?”  
  
“Of course not.”  
  
“Excellent. Now, I just need a quick moment. We had some people for you to meet, but with you being a non-were, we just need to see who is still interested. Unfortunately, not everyone is as open minded.”  
  
“Sure. No problem.”  
  
*  
  
“He’s human.”  
  
“Wow, I definitely would have pegged him as an alpha. That’s a shame.”  
  
“What a waste of time. A human at a were dating service.”  
  
“Yeah, but look at him.”  
  
“He is hot, I’ll give you that.”  
  
“Hot isn’t the word. I’d give him a whirl or two, knot or not.”  
  
“Ugh, no thank you. I have enough trouble with weres, I sure don’t need the bother of a non-were, no matter how good looking he is.”  
  
Jared listened in on the comments around him, keeping his own thoughts to himself as he studied the man in front of them. He carried himself so much like an alpha did. Jared could see him easily controlling an entire room of people with no issue. It was really a shame. Jared may not have stood a chance, but he sure would have given it a shot.  
  
“I’m sure you all heard. Mr. Ackles is not a were. We are still going to be of service to him, however, so any of you who are still interested, we’ll begin letting you meet him in about ten minutes or so.”  
  
Jared, Genevieve, Danneel, Stephen and Tahmoh were the only ones that stayed.  
  
“Why not,” Danneel said. “He’s hot enough to be worth it.”  
  
Jared laughed and turned back to study the man behind the glass. He really was hot enough to be worth it – even if he did turn out to be a bit short tempered.  
  
*  
  
Jensen was very happy to speak to the five weres that were interested in meeting him. Mr. Collins – Misha – explained they were happy to find more matches for him, both were and human if none of these where the perfect match he was looking for.  
  
The first person to visit Jensen was named Genevieve. She was tiny and pretty, and had a great sense of humor. They decided to meet again outside the agency.  
  
Stephen Amell was funny, friendly and handsome. There wasn’t a real sense of attraction, but he and Jensen agreed to meet again some day soon for a friendly game of golf.  
  
Danneel was beautiful and brash. Jensen enjoyed her right away. There was a spark Jensen was thrilled to feel, and Danneel became Jensen’s first real prospect for love in a long time. He hoped the other two were as wonderful as the weres he’d met so far.  
  
*  
  
Before long, Jared and Tahmoh were the only ones left to meet Jensen. Jared was very surprised that Tahmoh had even been interested, particularly since he’d displayed some alpha behaviors of his own. It happened in betas from time to time, and it wasn’t particularly rare, though it did make it a bit more difficult to find an alpha mate for some betas.  
  
“Mr. Padalecki. You’re up.” Jared smiled at Mr. Collins and followed him into the conference room. Jensen stood as he entered and Misha shut the door, leaving them alone.  
  
“Hi, I’m Jensen.”  
  
Jared ducked his head. “I’m Jared, it’s nice to meet you.”  
  
  
Jensen found himself reaching up to tuck some of Jared’s hair behind his ear and gently lifted his chin.  
  
“Let me see those beautiful eyes, sweetheart.”  
  
Jared flushed but kept his eyes on Jensen’s.  
  
“Wow, that was really forward of me, wasn’t it?”  
  
Jared smiled. “It’s okay, alph...Jensen.”  
  
  
When were mates meet, they usually know almost immediately. There would be an instant connection forged, almost as if the air itself was linking them together. Jared knew not to expect this with Jensen – he was human, after all.  
  
Regardless, Jensen smelled wonderful to Jared. Like leather and rich loamy earth. Like spice and a hint of smoke. He couldn’t help but reach out at the same time he leaned forward searching for more of that deep rich scent, but dropped his hand in horror when he realized what he was doing.  
  
“It’s okay sweetheart.” Jensen’s voice was a soothing balm to Jared’s nerves. “You weres sure do like to sniff people don’t you?”  
  
Jared laughed. “It’s one of the main ways we know our mates. They’ll smell like all these amazing things all mixed up into one were.”  
  
“My best friend Chris was telling me some about that this weekend. I’m not a were, but you smell heavenly, I can tell you that.”  
  
“I do?”  
  
“Mmhmm, like oranges and candy and something a little...deep and dark. Tell me, Jared, do you have a dark side?”  
  
The smile Jared flashed Jensen was surprising. Jared was obviously so nervous and shy, but this smile was full of sensuality and teasing. “Take me out and maybe you’ll find out how deep my sides are.” Jared waggled his brows, looking as ridiculous as his pickup line had been.  
  
Jensen burst out laughing. “You little minx, you. Here I was thinking you were this shy little thing.”  
  
Jared dropped his head again, insecurity welling up like always. “I’m not a little anything.”  
  
“That you are not, sweetheart, that you are not. You _are_ a big boy aren’t you?”  
  
Jared raised his eyes enough to see Jensen’s face, looking for signs of disgust or discomfort, but all he found was Jensen sweeping his eyes over Jared’s body with what looked like blatant interest.  
  
“Is that...is that okay?”  
  
“Oh, sweetheart, that’s beyond okay. That’s hit a homerun into the parking lot beyond okay.”  
  
Jared beamed at Jensen, dimples carved deep into his cheeks. Jensen stared for a moment, shocked into a stupor at how beautiful Jared was when he smiled.  
  
“You...”  
  
There was a discreet knock on the door, then Mr. Collins stepped in. “Time’s up, gentlemen.”  
  
“I want to see you again, Jared. Would you like that?”  
  
“Yes. I think I would like that very much.”  
  
“Excellent. Mr. Collins, add Jared to my short list!” Jensen flourished his arm dramatically as he spoke to Misha.  
  
Jared laughed. “Is it too late to change my mind? You’re ridiculous.”  
  
“Yep, too late. Sorry. You’re on the list.”  
  
“Ah, well, guess I’ll just have to suffer through it.”  
  
Jensen grinned at Jared, tucked Jared’s hair behind his ear again, and stretched up to drop a short kiss on Jared’s cheek. “See you soon.”  
  
“See you soon.” 

Jensen was on the phone with the agency before lunch the next day. By supper, he had a date with Genevieve for Wednesday, one with Danneel for Friday, a date with Jared the following Wednesday, (which also happened to be his birthday), and a tee time with Stephen in two weeks. Tahmoh hadn’t contacted him, but that was okay. They had gotten along well but there wasn’t much chemistry between them when they initially met, so Jensen wasn’t concerned with Tahmoh’s lack of response.

*

His date with Genevieve went very well. She was chatty and sweet and kept Jensen laughing at her dating stories. Turns out she hadn’t been so keen on joining Perfect Partners in the first place, but her parents were anxious for a litter of grand babies, and Perfect Partners was more palatable to Genevieve than letting her parents set her up on blind dates.

Jensen kissed her goodnight at her door, and it was sweet and lovely. Genevieve had looked up at him after, smiling softly.

“So, friends, then?”

“Friends.” Jensen nodded, hugged her and they made plans to hang out again in a couple of weeks.

“Call me anytime you want to rant about the parents.”

Genevieve laughed. “I’ll take you up on that.”

*

Danneel and Jensen went to a beautiful restaurant and ate on the patio. The weather was perfect and soft breezes carried the scents of bluebonnets and mint to mingle with the heavily fragrant food. They laughed and shared dating horror stories and found out they had numerous things in common.

When Jensen kissed her at her stoop, he quickly found himself pressing her against the wall just inside her door. Pulling away, he took a moment to catch his breath.

“Well, that was certainly compatible.” Danneel laughed.

Jensen snorted. “Yes it was.”

“Stay?”

“Not this time,” Jensen said softly. He ran his hand down Danneel’s hair and stepped outside, using the walk to his car to try and figure out what was going on in his head. Danneel was beautiful, sexy and smart. When he had kissed her, he was two steps from picking her up and wandering through her house looking for her bedroom. Then Jared’s dimpled smile had flashed through his mind, and that had been that.

*

It was late when Jensen got home, but not terribly late. That’s what he told himself anyway when he stared at his phone instead of laying it on his bedside table like he really, really should. Groaning, he forced himself to put the phone down and get ready for bed. It was when he went to plug his phone into its charger that he ended up dialing Jared’s number without even thinking about it.

“Jensen?”

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid you have the wrong number.”

“Um, _you_ called _me_ , remember?”

“Dammit.”

Jared laughed. “Jensen?”

“Talk to me, Jared.”

Jared was quiet for a moment, then started to talk.

*

“What do you mean you thought I was bad tempered?”

“Well look at you.”

Jensen looked at the phone in his hand and then down at himself. “What? Do I look like an asshole or something?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Jared laughed. “You’re gorgeous.”

“Little old me? Do tell.”

“Shut up. You have a mirror. You don’t need to hear it from me.”

“I think I do, Jared, I really, really think I do.”

“Anyway, back to the topic at hand...”

“My gorgeousness and how much you want me?”

“...your bad temper.”

“Oh, that topic. I thought we’d moved on.”

“As much as I’d love to spend the next hour waxing poetic about your mouth, no, we have not moved on.”

“Why did you think I was bad tempered, Jared?” Jensen absolutely did not whine Jared’s name.

“Obviously because I didn’t know how whiny you were yet.”

“What happened to my shy little Jared?”

“You’re the one that wouldn’t take me off your short list so deal with it.”

“Ugh. Fine.”

“You were obviously upset that day at Perfect Partners. It’s one reason why everyone assumed you were an alpha. You were so...stoic. Stern. Alpha-like. And, come on, there has to be something wrong with you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Jokes aside, you are pretty much the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. There has to be a major flaw of some sort that has kept you single.”

“I’m alternately flattered and insulted and the tiniest bit confused.”

“Hello, my name is Jared Padalecki. Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m hanging up, now. I need to call Misha and shorten that short list up some.” Jensen wasn’t about to mention that Jared was pretty much the only name left on it.

Jared laughed.

“Aw, sweetheart, I understand why you’re asking. No one wants to be saddled with a total ass. I had had a terrible morning. But it wasn’t just that.

I’ve been looking for my “perfect partner” for a long time, and no one’s been quite right. Just not...enough. I had gone through just about every dating site and app in the universe. For a second there, I had _such_ hope about Perfect Partners. They were different from all the rest. I thought, this is it. _This_ is where I find him or her.

Then that morning before my appointment was a total nightmare. I was sure it was a sign. All the hope I had just sort of, withered.”

“And then you met me,” Jared interjected, trying to lighten the mood again.

“Yeah, Jared.” Jensen said, voice pointed and soft. “Then I met you.”

“Jensen.”

“Gotta go, sweetheart. Six am comes awful early.”

“ _Jensen._ ”

“Go to bed, Jared. You need your sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, sweetheart.”

“Good night, Jensen.”

Jensen pressed his phone briefly to his smiling mouth, then plugged it into its charger and settled down to sleep. 

Wednesday was rainy and cold, but for once Jensen didn’t care. Tonight was his date with Jared. Jensen was so nervous and excited he could barely sit still. It took until he noticed everyone in his office staring and waiting for him to blow out the candles on the birthday cake they’d brought for him to realize he was probably better off taking the rest of the day off. He quickly ate a piece of birthday cake, finished up what he was working on and started home.

On the way, Jensen found himself slowing down and pulling into a nursery. He and Jared had talked every day this past week, and he remembered Jared mentioning a succulent that his mother always had in her home. Jared wanted one for his own house, but never managed to make it to the nursery to find one.

Jensen was smiling and happy until the salesman told him there were about a billion types of the agave plant. Jensen’s face fell and he could _feel_ himself pouting. The salesman chuckled at Jensen’s distress.

“Buying it for the little lady?”

“If by little lady you mean my 6’5” male were date that I hope to be my “little lady” someday very soon, like _tonight_ preferably, then yep. That’s it exactly.”

The man shook his head and smiled. “So, no clue which one, huh?”

“No stinking idea,” Jensen replied despondently. “He just said his mom always had one in their house and that he wanted one for his own home.”

“Well that does narrow it down some, actually. If it was a house plant it wouldn’t have been any of these. So, focus on these right here.” Jensen studied the area the salesman indicated very carefully, finally picking out the one he liked the best. He could only hope Jared liked it.

He was smiling as he walked out of the nursery, Jared’s succulent tucked carefully in his arms.

“Good luck with your fella, Mr. Ackles.”

“Thanks, Mark. I’m gonna need it.”

*

Four hours later, Jensen was standing, soaked, pounding on Jared’s door.

“What in the wor- Jensen! So much rain! Come on, get in here!”

Jensen was pouting again. He could feel it, but was powerless to stop it. He had everything planned out. It was going to be so perfect.

“Jensen?”

Without saying a word, Jensen held out Jared’s agave plant. Jared stared at it for a moment, his hand flying to his mouth as he stood there. “Did you...” His voice was a little shaky, so he cleared his throat and started over. “Did you buy me this?”

Jensen nodded.

Jared took the plant carefully, placed it in the sink before he came back to the living room and a sopping wet Jensen. He stared at Jensen for a moment, and Jensen stared back. Suddenly, Jared was on the move, pressing Jensen back against the door, tugging at his stylish but useless and soaked suit coat.

Once it was off, he watched the rivulets of left over rain sliding down Jensen’s gorgeous face and pooling at the dip of his throat before sliding down his chest. Holding Jensen still with a hand at the center of his chest, Jared lowered his mouth to Jensen’s throat.

“Jensen.”

It was the feel of Jared’s tongue and breath against his skin that snapped Jensen out of his stupor. The low moan of his name in his ear drove him to grab Jared’s arms and switch their places. He kicked Jared’s ankles gently, and Jared understood almost immediately. He widened his stance, and it lowered him to Jensen’s height and forced him to rely on the door or Jensen for support.

Jensen slotted in between his legs like he was made to be there. And were or not, Jared was starting to believe that Jensen was. Jensen buried his face in Jared’s neck, licking and sucking like he was out to leave marks. And maybe he was. _Jensen was here_ , sucked across the left side of Jared’s throat. _Property of Jensen Ackles_ , splayed across the right.

Jared shuddered, both from Jensen’s touch and the feel of his wet shirt soaking through Jared’s own. “Jensen.”

Jensen stopped for a moment, his roaming hands caught at the dampness of Jared’s shirt. Pulling back a step, Jensen quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt and the t-shirt underneath it. Jared leaned limply against the door, and stared at Jensen’s wide muscular shoulders and strong arms. Jensen let him look for a moment, then tugged Jared’s arms up and his shirt off.

Jared, caught in one of his moments of shyness, blushed and tried to cover his chest with his arms. Jensen grabs his wrists and pushed them against the door, indicating with a raised eyebrow that Jared was not to move again. Jensen brushed his hand over the muscles in Jared’s chest, and his eyes followed, noting the way Jared started to move his arms several time but never did, and the way his nipples pebbled the more Jensen touched Jared’s skin.

Jensen replaced his fingers with his lips, mouthing over Jared’s skin but avoiding his nipples. Jared was breathing heavily, waiting for anything Jensen would give him. Jensen smiled crookedly, then abruptly sealed his lips over one of Jared’s nipples. Jared moaned and his hand rose to burrow through Jensen’s hair.

Jared was fully hard, gasping and focused on the feel of Jensen pressed up against him; the scrape of his teeth; the spicy smell that Jared had noticed from no one else he’d ever met. Jensen sank to his knees and Jared moaned in anticipation. Jensen urged him upright, and made quick work of Jared’s shoes, socks and slacks.

Jensen rocked back on his heels, taking a moment to study Jared’s amazing body. Jared blushed and lowered his head, wondering why in the world someone who looked like Jensen was kneeling in front of Jared right now.

Jensen reached out and ran his fingers over the underside of Jared’s cock, circled the head against his palm, and cupped his balls, feeling the weight and heft of them in his hand. Jared was shaking. Jensen understood. This wasn’t just a blowjob in Jared’s foyer. This was so much more.

This was lazy nights watching movies and bad TV shows. This was fighting over the Mavs and Spurs and which candy to put in the candy bowl. This was waking up with someone beside you every morning, drool and bad breath and sleep in the corners of their eyes. This was, maybe, forever.

Jensen watched Jared closely when he sucked the tip of Jared’s cock into his mouth. Jared’s head was tipped back against the door, his throat working, face flushed a beautiful pink. He was alternately gnawing on his lip and moaning Jensen’s name. Jensen sucked him leisurely, banding the base of Jared’s cock with his hand when it looked like he was getting close to coming.

Jensen took all of Jared’s cock in his mouth and paused for a moment. Jared whined, hands scrabbling against the door, then grasping in Jensen’s hair. Jensen grabbed Jared’s hips, swinging them forward then back, forward then back, sliding Jared’s cock in and out of the wet clutch of Jensen’s mouth. Jared caught on quickly, and with a guttural moan, laced his hands behind Jensen’s head and shifted his stance so he could better fuck Jensen’s mouth.

Jensen clutched at Jared’s thighs until he felt the slick on the back of Jared’s legs. Sliding his hands up and through the sticky dampness, he coated his fingertips, and found his way to Jared’s hole. When Jared groaned and pushed his cock into Jensen’s throat as far as it would go, Jensen plunged a finger into Jared knuckle deep. Jared’s hands fisting in Jensen’s hair and his low moan were the only warning Jensen had before Jared came. As soon as Jensen had swallowed and drawn back a bit, Jared slid down the door in a boneless heap.

Jensen quickly rose up, opened his pants and was stroking his cock with one hand and Jared’s hair with the other. Jared opened his mouth in anticipation, though Jensen didn’t give him what he wanted. After only a few strokes, Jensen fisted his hand in Jared’s hair and came across Jared’s lips and tongue and cheeks.

Sinking down in front of Jared, Jensen stared at his come laying claim to Jared’s skin. “So, I’m a bit early.”

“And you bought me a plant.”

“Yeah. I hope it was the right one. There were so many.”

“It’s not exactly the same one my mom had, but it’s lovely, Jensen. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Could I...”

“Would you...go ahead.”

“I was just going to suggest we shower and get ready to go. I made reservations for seven.”

Jared grinned. “Plenty of time then. Follow me.” 

  
Jared was beautiful in the soft light of the restaurant. Jensen’s jacket was wrinkled and a little damp with rain, but Jared was luminous. He and Jared had talked for hours every night on the phone, the silence and safety of Jared’s bed at night giving him courage to tell Jensen about his hopes and dreams and his fears and insecurities.

Jared taught Jensen about weres and some of the differences between the genders. He explained to Jensen what being an omega meant and how it was different from being an alpha or a beta. Jensen had wondered aloud how he’d known Chris his whole life yet never known any of what Jared was telling him. Kindly, Jared explained that a lot of times humans weren’t really interested in how things were different for weres and just wanted to hear salacious details like they hunted out gossip with their friends.

Though weres and humans mingled seamlessly for decades there was still prejudice and hate. It was often easier for weres to just not speak about anything that made them different from humans. When Jensen looked troubled, Jared covered his hand with his own.

“I’ve known Chris my whole life, though. We’re best friends. I never thought of him as any different from me at all. He’s just were, is all. It kind of hurts that may be why he didn’t tell me anything about it.”

“Oh, Jensen. It may not even be that. It could be just what you said. Chris was always just Chris to you. Not a were, just your best friend. He may not have even thought about sharing with you because it just never came up.”

“In almost 30 years it never came up? I mean, he told me a little about mating when he met Steve, of course, and about the kids when they had them.”

“See? He included you right away when it came up.”

“Wow, I’m a shitty friend for never asking.”

“Jensen. You are not a shitty friend. Maybe a little...unaware, but not shitty. Chris would have never stayed your friend for that long if you were.”

“You have a point. And I’m done angsting. Really. I swear.”

Jared chuckled, softly gazing at Jensen across the table.

“Ugh, stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you wanna just...cuddle me or something.”

Jared laughed loudly. “I do wanna cuddle you...or something.”

“Yeah? Tell me about this somethi...” Jensen stopped abruptly, interrupted by [_Hungry Like the Wolf_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOg5VxrRTi0) (open in new tab to listen) playing from his phone.

“ _Hungry like the Wolf_? Let me guess. That’s Chris’s ring tone?”

Jensen grinned sheepishly and rejected the call. “Sorry about that.”

Jared shook his head in mock despair, laughing at Jensen’s embarrassment. A minute later, the phone rang again. “Go ahead, Jensen. It’s okay.”

“Okay, but only because he’d have a fit if I turned the phone off on him,” Jensen huffed in feigned annoyance. “What do you...”

Shouts of _Happy Birthday_ poured through the phone, and Jensen pulled it away from his ear. “Where are you, you bastard? We want to celebrate!”

“I’m on a date right now, _thank you_ , and you’re interrupting.”

Jared could hear the man on the other end of the phone hissing for everyone to shut up. “A date you say?”

“Yes, Chris, a date. A pre-planned outing with two people who would like to be intimately involved with each other if all goes well with said pre-planned event. In this case, it is a meal.”

“Who is it?”

“Jared.”

“Oh, the one you wouldn’t shut up about for the last six months.”

“I’ve only known him a week and half, dick hole.”

“Funny it seemed so much longer on this end.”

Jared was snickering into his napkin, trying to muffle some of his laughter at Jensen’s expense. “Yeah, laugh it up wolf boy. Just for that, we’re going to Chris’ after this. Let the short fucker drive _you_ crazy for awhile and then come talk to me.”

“Hey, I am NOT short. When are you coming? We have people here who want to celebrate the day of your birth.”

“How many people?” Jensen asked, clearly alarmed.

“Well it’s less than attend the party for the birth of Jesus Christ every year, but more than the number of people you’ve fucked in your life. Well, wait, let me check real quick….50, 51, 52...yeah, just barely.”

“Way to keep it classy Chris. Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome. Since you and luva boy are eating, I’m gonna hit the grill and cook us up some stuff. Get your asses here ASAP.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Jensen took a very long time hanging up his phone and returning it to his coat pocket.

“So that was Chris, then.”

“Yep. That was him in all his glory.”

“Can’t wait to meet him.”

“Sure, you say that _now_. Wait until you’re in the same room with him.”

“I thought I heard something in there about it being your birthday.”

“Oh, um, maybe?”

“Maybe it’s your birthday?”

“Maybe I don’t want to confirm or deny?”

“So, this is like the _Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell_ of birthdays?”

“Maybe?”

“Jensen Ack...wait, what’s your middle name?”

“Ross?”

“Are you not sure?”

“No, I do know my middle name, I’m just wondering why you want to know my middle name.”

“So I can say this, obviously.” Jared paused for a moment. “Jensen Ross Ackles! Why are you here with me when it’s your birthday today?”

“Great, you sound like my mother. Just what I need.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Jared purred, a slow smile spreading across his face as he leaned across the table. “I doubt I sound one bit like your momma.”

Jensen smiled a shark of a smile, slow and dangerous. “I suggest you eat up, sweetheart. I got plans for you later, you’re gonna need all your strength.”

Jared blushed and grinned, and they both tucked into the rest of their supper. As they got up to leave, Jensen helped Jared into his coat, smoothing the lapels before looking Jared right in the eye. “About earlier.”

Jared looked at him questioningly.

“I’m right where I want to be, sweetheart.”

Jared dropped his head, shy but smiling. 

  
Jared was having a blast at Chris and Steve’s. He had seen the surprise on Chris’ face when he first scented Jared as an omega, but Chris had been a perfect gentleman – to Jared. Jared hadn’t seen hazing like Chris and Steve were heaping on Jensen since his college days. In fact, he wasn’t even sure what Chris and Steve got up to was even technically legal.  
  
Jensen bore it all with a grimace and a fake smile. Jared could see the joy sparkling in Jensen’s eyes, though. He was loving the attention. Well, he was until someone else rang Chris’ doorbell. Steve came back from answering it with Jensen’s parents in tow, and Jared could hear Jensen’s groan across the yard.  
  
“Happy birthday, baby!”  
  
“Thanks mom. I didn’t know you were coming.”  
  
“Oh, we weren’t planning on it. But then Chris was kind enough to let us know you were bringing a date to his party tonight. Voila! Here we are!” If looks could kill, Chris would have incinerated on the spot. Jared was laughing harder than he had in months.  
  
“Here’s your present, baby. Don’t open it here, it’s just socks and underwear like always.”  
  
“Mom...”  
  
“Don’t whine, dear. Now, where is this date of yours?”  
  
“He left.”  
  
“He did not.”  
  
“He did too, about five minutes before you got here.”  
  
Jared glanced over just in time to see Chris and Steve behind Jensen’s back pointing Jensen’s mom in his direction.  
  
“Well, look at you! Jensen, he’s lovely! Just lovely! What’s your name, honey?”  
  
“I’m Jared, ma’am.”  
  
“Nice to meet you, honey. You’re so tall, look at you. So handsome. Chris tells me you’re a were, is that right?”  
  
“It is, ma’am.”  
  
“You wouldn’t happen to be an omega, by any chance, would you, dear?”  
  
“Knock it off, mom!” Jensen hissed at his mother.  
  
“I...I am, ma’am,” Jared answered a bit more hesitantly.  
  
“Excellent! Maybe grandbabies aren’t out of the picture, after all!”  
  
“For god’s sake, mom!” Jensen grasped his mom by the arm and shuffled her off a little way away from Jared.  
  
“Jensen Ross Ackles! Were you raised by...”  
  
“Please don’t say wolves, ma’am,” Jared broke in, his voice filled with laughter.  
  
“I was going to say a pack of wild dogs, actually. The were children I know would NEVER think of treating their mother this way.”  
  
Jensen let go of his mother’s arm, rolled his eyes and stomped off to get another beer out of Chris’ fridge. Raucous laughter followed him all the way in the house.  
  
*  
  
An hour later, all but a few people had left for home and those left settled in front of the fire pit. Chris and Steve were strumming tunes on their guitar. Jensen had, surprisingly, taken a seat in one of Chris and Steve’s adirondack chairs and pulled Jared down onto his lap. Jared was a bit embarrassed at first but settled into Jensen’s lap quickly, one arm draped over the back of the chair and the other playing with the fingers of Jensen’s hand.  
  
“Jen, sing with us.” Jensen put up a token protest, but luckily was just “socially lubricated” enough to give in pretty quickly.  
  
“Let’s do some Amber Run, yeah?”  
  
“Sure, Jen. Which one?”  
  
“[I Found](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj6V_a1-EUA).” (open in new tab to listen along)  
  
Jensen’s voice was mellow and smooth with rough edges that blended perfectly with Chris and Steve’s deeper, twangier tones. Jared kept his free hand pressed to Jensen’s chest to feel the vibrations as he sang.  
  
_And I'll use you as a warning sign  
That if you talk enough sense, then you'll lose your mind  
And I'll use you as focal point  
So I don’t lose sight of what I want  
And I've moved further than I thought I could  
But I missed you more than I thought I would  
And I'll use you as a warning sign  
That if you talk enough sense, then you'll lose your mind_  
  
When they got to the chorus, Jensen tucked Jared tighter against his chest, singing in his ear.  
  
_Oh, and I found love where it wasn't supposed to be  
Right in front of me, talk some sense to me  
And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be  
Right in front of me, talk some sense to me  
  
And I'll use you as a makeshift gauge  
Of how much to give and how much to take  
Oh, I'll use you as a warning sign  
That if you talk enough sense, then you'll lose your mind  
  
Oh, and I found love where it wasn't supposed to be  
Right in front of me, talk some sense to me  
And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be  
Right in front of me, talk some sense to me_

  
Jared and Jensen lingered, pressed together long moments after the song ended, and neither heard Chris and Steve quietly herd everyone else inside and flip on their sound system. [Seafret](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzChS7ihbJ8) (open in new tab to listen) filled the air and Jensen startled a bit.

“Listen to this song, sweetheart.” Jensen sang some, still holding Jared tightly.  
  
_I'll be there when you need me most  
I'll be there if you're ever alone  
Together, we can grow old.  
I can't leave you  
I can't leave you  
No  
  
You're my way out  
You're my way through  
And I can't, I can't be without you  
You're my way out  
You're my way through  
And I can't be without you_  
  
“Jensen.” Jared quickly moved until he was astride Jensen’s lap, hands holding tight to his face, kissing him for all he was worth. Jared felt out of control, desperate, hungry for Jensen’s touch. It was like he couldn’t get enough of Jensen’s mouth or the scent of his skin. The taste of his sweat under Jared’s tongue. “Oh, god. Jensen.”  
  
Jensen didn’t know what to do when Jared pulled away from him abruptly. “Jared? You okay?”  
  
“Jensen. My heat. Oh, god, Jensen, I think I started my heat.”  
  
“I...are you okay, sweetheart? What do you need? What can I do?”  
  
“I don’t know, Jensen, but I’ve got to get home. I have...things there I need.”  
  
“Chris!” Jensen called, steadying Jared as they stood and began gathering their things.  
  
Chris came out but stopped short, scenting the air. “Jensen. You have to get Jared out of here. Now.”  
  
Jensen straightened, hearing something in Chris’ voice he didn’t care for. “I’m doing just that, Chris.” Jensen narrowed his eyes at his best friend.  
  
“Jared is in heat, Jensen.”  
  
“That’s what he said, Chris.”  
  
“Jensen,” Jared whispered hoarsely, pressing himself to Jensen’s back. “Chris is...Chris is alpha. It’s...hard for him to be around... _Jensen_...around an omega’s heats.”  
  
“Chris is a big boy. He’ll control himself, sweetheart. Don’t worry.”  
  
“Jensen,” Chris warned, fangs beginning to elongate and nails lengthening.  
  
“You touch him, Chris, and I swear to god, I will kill you where you stand, human or not.”  
  
Chris snarled then stopped abruptly, fully shifting as he ran from his house and into the surrounding woods.  
  
“Steve! We’re leaving. Go find Chris!”  
  
“Heading out now,” Steve called back. “Jensen. Don’t leave Jared alone, you understand? He’s an unmated omega. He can’t be out alone, not even for a second. It’s not safe.”  
  
“Got it. Call y’all later, Steve.” Jensen turned, hurrying Jared to his car, buckling him in and slamming into the driver’s side. Jared kept his hands on Jensen the whole ride to his house, moaning low underneath his breath every time Jensen spoke to him, trying to soothe him.  
  
“Almost there, baby. Just a few more minutes. Hang in there, baby.”  
  
Jensen parked in front of Jared’s house and rushed to help Jared out of the car just to find him meeting him in the middle of the driveway. “Need to get inside, Jensen, before I throw you down right here and make you fuck me outside for everyone in the neighborhood to see.”  
  
“Fuck, Jared. Give me your keys. Now.” Jared was pressing himself tightly to Jensen, running his hands over every inch he could reach.  
  
“Spare is in the light over the door,” Jared whispered, sucking Jensen’s ear into his mouth.  
  
“Jared, you gotta stop for just a minute.” Jensen shivered as Jared shifted his attentions to Jensen’s neck. “Baby, please.”  
  
“Hurry, Jensen. Hurry.”  
  
“We’re gonna talk about this spare key of yours when this is all over.”  
  
“Whatever, Jensen. Fuck me, Jensen, come on.”  
  
Jensen groaned and held Jared away from him with an arm and his knee long enough to grab the spare and unlock his door. He’d barely got the key out of the lock and the door closed and locked before Jared was standing before him naked. Jensen held him off with both arms as he tried to press back into Jensen.  
  
“Where’s the things you need, sweetheart.”  
  
“Just need you, Jensen.”  
  
“Jared. You said there were things you needed. Where are they?”  
  
“My...my knot.”  
  
“You’re not what, sweetheart?”  
  
“No, my...bedroom. Jensen, take me to bed.”  
  
Jensen stumbled down the hall, almost 200 pounds of Jared trying to become a permanent part of Jensen’s body by sheer force alone. Jensen finally found Jared’s bedroom and staggered to the bed. “Jared, baby, get your things you need, and...”  
  
“Don’t go anywhere, Jensen, I need you.”  
  
“Baby, I’m not going anywhere. Get whatever it is you need, get on the bed, and wait for me. I’ll only be a minute.”  
  
Jared’s face paled a bit at Jensen’s forceful tone, two spots of red shining high on his cheeks. “Yes, alpha.”  
  
Jensen waited long enough to make sure Jared was obeying, and once he saw Jared reach under the bed, Jensen stepped into the bathroom. Stripping quickly, he took a second to stand, hands braced on the sink and just breathe.  
  
Jensen had known Jared less than two weeks. Eleven days, if a person wanted to be exact about it. Yet here he was wondering if Jared would like Jensen’s house enough to live in it and if humans and weres really could have children. He was naked in Jared’s bathroom, his body so tuned in to Jared he could feel his touch before Jared’s skin even made contact. He’d never felt quite like this before, and he didn’t have a heat to blame it on. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped back in the bedroom.  
  
Jared was on the bed just like Jensen told him to be, but, god, Jensen never expected to see Jared ass up, fingers buried in his slick wet hole moaning for Jensen. It was like the air around Jensen was a living thing, brushing every inch of his skin; a low electric hum that pebbled his skin and raised the fine hairs on his body.  
  
“Too far away, Jensen. So empty. Alpha, please.” Jensen groaned, his cock bobbing at the slide of Jared’s deep desperate voice through the air. Jensen would do anything for Jared, and there was no question about this.  
  
“Sweetheart,” Jensen whispered, voice rough like a gravel road with how much he wanted to be inside Jared Right. This. Second. “Baby, condoms?”  
  
“No! Need...Need your come, alpha. Need to feel you.”  
  
Jensen slammed his eyes shut, grabbing hold of the base of his cock and praying for a moment to center himself. A half were/half human baby with Jensen’s eyes and Jared’s dimples and pointy little nose flitted through Jensen’s mind. And he couldn’t even find it in himself to be upset at the idea. Crawling up the bed, Jensen put himself between Jared’s knees, slid his fingers through the slick that nearly covered the back of Jared’s legs, and slipped a finger into Jared alongside Jared’s own.  
  
“Oh, yes, alpha. Jensen, your dick, please. Fuck me.” Jared pulled his fingers out of his ass and gripped the back of his thighs, face turned to the side so he could see Jensen. Jensen used Jared’s slick and smoothed it over his cock, lining up and pushing into Jared slowly.  
  
Jared went silent, his earlier moaning and begging for Jensen still now. It was Jensen doing all the talking now, praising Jared for being so beautiful, for being so sexy, for fitting his body around Jensen’s cock like he was made for Jensen specifically. Jensen pitched his voice in rhythm to his thrusts, long and slow but driving. Jensen had Jared’s hip in one hand, the other hand braced on Jared’s wide back, keeping track of the hiccuping little breaths punched out of Jared every time Jensen bottomed out.  
  
“Come on, baby,” Jensen said when he could feel he was close. He hauled Jared up, tucking his back along Jensen’s chest, licking and sucking at Jared’s shoulder. “Come for me, sweetheart.”  
  
“Jensen”, Jared moaned and slipped a hand down to his cock, barely stroking it three times before he was coming, Jensen’s name in his mouth like a prayer. Jensen followed him soon after, clamping his teeth into Jared’s skin without a second thought.  
  
“Jensen, I need...I need my knot.” Jared felt around on the bed beside him until his found his toy, a dildo with a large knot at the base of the cock and handed it to Jensen as he leaned forward and braced on his hands. “Alpha, please.”  
  
Jensen slicked up the toy and slid it home, rocking the base of the dildo a bit to ease the knot inside Jared, then pulled Jared back to him, Jensen using his hips and Jared’s body weight to seat the knot the last inch or so, the base of the toy resting right above Jensen’s cock. “Like this baby?”  
  
“Yes, alpha,” Jared sighed. “Just like that. I need it to stay for at least half an hour.”  
  
“Okay, baby.” Easing them over on their sides, Jensen plastered himself to Jared’s back, whispering sweet words into Jared’s ear and kissing every inch of sweaty skin he could reach.  
  
Jensen could tell when Jared’s heat let go of him because Jared looked at him over his shoulder and said, “Who knew you’d be such a cuddly sap?”  
  
“How dare you!” Jensen demanded, nipping at Jared’s earlobe. Jared winced a little as he pulled his toy from his body, then turned to face Jensen.  
  
“Jensen, thank you s...”  
  
“Shh, sweetheart. None of that. This was one hell of a birthday gift. I should be thanking _you_.”  
  
Jared laughed. “Glad you think so. We’ve got at least three more days of this.”  
  
Jensen groaned. “Get up, sweetheart. We need to clean up, change this bed and get some sustenance. I’m gonna need everything I can get.”  
  
Jared grinned. “Race you to the shower.”  
  
Jensen just watched him go. 

  
Four days later, Jensen’s dick didn’t even feel like it belonged to him anymore. He wasn’t even sure he could ever have sex again. Hell, he didn’t even know if he ever wanted to hear the _word_ sex again. Jared’s house was a wreck, there was no food anywhere in it, and they had just about used up all Jared’s laundry detergent washing filthy sheets twice a day. Jared wasn’t sure the smell of sex would ever leave his house, even with every window in the bedroom open to the warm Texas breezes.  
  
Jensen’s body was bruised and scratched and he wasn’t sure but he thought his wrist might have been sprained from that one time Jared got tired of Jensen’s teasing and he put Jensen on his back and _made_ him fuck Jared just like he wanted. Jared was littered with bites and bruises that he kept petting like the badges of honor Jensen felt like they were. They were slumped on the couch, watching mindless TV and recovering.  
  
“I have a few questions, sweetheart, if that’s okay.”  
  
Jared straightened, his face immediately serious. “Of course, Jensen.”  
  
“How often do you go through a heat, first of all.”  
  
“I have two a year.”  
  
“It seems like this one was a surprise. Are they random, or does something bring them on, or how does that work?”  
  
“It was a surprise, actually. Heats are fairly regulated. We need time to get things ready and make plans – calling off work and things like that. They’re rarely out of time. Mine wasn’t supposed to be for two more weeks.”  
  
“When it does happen, is it always so sudden?”  
  
“I don’t think this was all that sudden, actually. I’ve been thinking about it. I think…I think I had plenty of warning, I just didn’t notice it, because you had my head so twisted up.”  
  
“Me?” Jensen scoffed.  
  
“Yes, you,” Jared laughed. “You had my head so fucked up, man. I wanted you so badly.”  
  
“Right back at ya, sweetheart.” They were quiet for a bit.  
  
“Okay, this one is kind of important,” Jensen’s voice was serious. “I don’t think you remember, but there were two different times I had to threaten men away from your door. I assume they were alphas, is that right?”

“Oh, Jensen, no I don’t remember that.”  
  
“I didn’t think so, you were pretty far gone both times. I can’t...I can’t get Steve’s warning out of my head. Jared, how dangerous is it when you’re having your heats? And what if you do take me as your mate? Will alpha assholes like those two always come after you?”  
  
“You saw the reaction Chris had to me, Jensen. That’s pretty typical.” Jensen stiffened. “But you also saw that he left instead of letting my scent get to him. The majority of alphas have that control.”  
  
“The majority...but not all?”  
  
“No, not all. Some, usually the more traditional, strict alphas, don’t even try to control their impulses. They’ll see an unmated omega who’s gotten stuck somewhere they don’t want to be in their heat, and they’ll just...” Jared paused for a moment. “They’ll just take.”  
  
“Has that ever happened to you, sweetheart?”  
  
“Yes.” Jared’s voice was a breath. He could hear Jensen’s teeth grinding together. He didn’t elaborate further, and Jensen didn’t push for details.  
  
“So, I’m putting you in danger by wanting to be with you.”  
  
“Jensen, no.”  
  
“Jared, yes. Understand me. I want you. My god I want you. Like forever. But you’ll always be an unmated omega to those assholes. My love should be _protection_ for you. People should know you’re mine without a second thought. And, sure, I’ll mark you every chance I get and put a ring on your finger and that will be enough for humans, but...”  
  
“Not for weres.” Jared finished.  
  
“No, not for weres. Is there anything, Jared. Anything we can do to keep you safe?”  
  
“There is one thing. Alphas will sell their scent sometimes.”  
  
“Their scent? How does that work?”  
  
“I’m not really sure, but omegas do sometimes need protection but don’t have an alpha for one reason or another. This alpha scent is applied almost like perfume, but the omega is then scent marked and off limits to other alphas.”  
  
“The scent marking is enough?”  
  
“It is.”  
  
“So you’d smell like another man all the time?”  
  
“Probably not to you, Jensen. But to any other were, I would smell...claimed.”  
  
“Can you get pregnant? We can use condoms other times, but you were pretty adamant against them during your heat.”  
  
“Define ‘pretty adamant’.”  
  
“I was a little...nervous, so I asked...I think it was the third day. You got up in a rage and threw every condom you had in your drawer out your window.”  
  
Jared laughed. “Yeah, I really do need your come during my heats. I was just, you know, making sure I got it.”  
  
“Mmhmm. So, babies?”  
  
“Were/human couples can conceive but it’s not always easy. We’re enough alike that there’s no issue once we do get pregnant, but different enough that actually getting pregnant can be difficult sometimes.”  
  
“Is there any were birth control?”  
  
“Nothing that’s really effective, no.”  
  
“Do you want children?”  
  
“With you? Desperately.”  
  
“Jared, we’ve known each other barely over two weeks. This is crazy.”  
  
“Not to a were, Jensen. A were knows their mate almost immediately, remember?”  
  
Jensen leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fists. Jared held his breath, praying Jensen didn’t decide it just wasn’t worth it.  
  
Jensen dropped his hands and his head, taking a deep breath. “Alright, so we’ve got six months, right? We’re gonna need to get you some of that alpha scent, very soon – and lots of it. I think we need another of those toys of yours to keep at my house. Plus you need more sheets. Who only has two sets of sheets?”  
  
Jared cackled and jumped on Jensen, pushing him back against the couch and kissing him. He was just getting into it when Jensen pushed him back, locking his elbows against the weight of Jared on top of him. Jared arched his brows in question.  
  
“So, wait, you said heats are pretty regular, right?”  
  
“Right...” Jared asked, wondering where Jensen was headed with this.  
  
“So, you’re gonna be in heat every year at this time?”  
  
Jared frowned and shook his head a little, confused. “Probably?”  
  
Jensen grinned – all teeth. “Happy birthday to _me_.”


End file.
